Coin-controlled machine for public telephones.



G. C. ADAMS.

COIN CONTROLLED MACHINE FOR PUBLIC TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I2. 1917.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR: vGwv C ADAMS ATTORNEY G. C. ADAMS.

COIN CONTROLLED MACHINE FOR PUBLIC TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION HLED MAY12.1911- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 lNVENTOR: GUY C-ADAM s ATTO rW Xv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUY CEOSIEB ADAMS, OI LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, A'US'I'BLLIA.

QOIN-CONTRQLLED MACHINE FOB. PUBLIC TELEPHONES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application iiled Kay 12, 1917. Serial No. 188,324.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known t a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

siding at Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, State of Tasmama, has mvented certam new and useful Improvements Relating to Coin-.

Controlled Machines for Public Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

This invention hasreference to coin-in-v slot mechanism, thatis attachedito public telephones, and has for its object to establish signals between the exchange and the person desiring tocuse a line by means of a 00111 or coins which he has lnserted m the mechanism as payment for the call. I Means are provided in effecting the'purose of the invention whereby coins of varymg values may be employed and signals sent in accordance with the value of the coin used. A further object of the invention is the provision of means for returning wrongly inserted coms to the person operat-v ing the device; "for lockingthe mechanism and for preventing "more than one set of mechanism from operatin at one time. a

In the accompanying rawings:

Figure 1 shows the invention in side sectional elevation. I v

Fig. 2 is a plan of same. a

Fig. 3 is a detail of the plunger locking means.

Fl .4 illustrates the plunger in different positions, and also the details of the release mechanism therefor.

Fig. 5 showsthe make and break device and means of operating same.

Fig. 6 is a further detail of means for preventing a plunger being used twice with one means, and

coin. I Fig. 7 shows a device for actuating such Fig. 8 isa further detail of same. r

The container 9 has a number of slots 10 that are made in varying sizes to accommodate coins of the respective values of say,

one penny, threepence, sixpence, and one shilling. The slots are immediately over plungersll in which are like slots or openings to receive the coins from theslots and support the same vertically in the plungers.

Immediately below the openings in the f plungers'are relativel smaller slots as 12 through which will fa 1 coins or substitutes for the same, not of the same diameter as the coin to be used in a particular slot.

Such will fall through into the chute indi-- at GUY Cnosmn Amms,

of the latter.

' placed tension sprlngs.

cated by the dotted lines, and will be recoverable at the point 13.

Each plunger and slot is marked according to its coin value and each plunger passes at 1ts mner end through a plate 14 having a'longitudinal slot 15 in which is a stud 16. The inner ends of the plungers are formed or tapered in various degrees, no two being allke, so. that when one plunger is forced through the opening in the plate to the squarepart. of same (indicated at the right in Fig. 3); the plate 14 will have imparted to it a shg'htlateral movement upon the stud 16 whichwill be sufiicient to cause it to fall into the plun er slot, and rest on the chute slot 12 unti the plunger is pressed I inward. Pivotally mounted on the covering immediately over each plunger is a recessed plate 17, formed substantially as indicated, and receiving in its recess a pin 18 on the plunger which limits the forward movement But-whensa coin is in the plunger and it is pushed into the machine, the top of the coin, as it' is carried along by the plunger, impinges against the edge of theplate 17 and causes it to be swung out of the way of the advancing pin 18, which clears the plate. A further pin 19 on the contact with the rear edge of the plate and keep it open until the coin passes free, (see Fig' 4;). The coin will then fall through the slot 20 into the till. The plate 17 is returned to its normal position by the spring 21, and the plungers by other convemently The plunger plate 14 is mounted on the bridge 22 through which the ends of the plungers pass to make contact with the levers 23 which are on the spindle 24., whereon are also the ratchet wheels 25, and the free Wheel 26 and drum 30. The distance of the levers 23 from the plungers can be regulated by the set screws 27, the throw of the levers being greatest when operating with '95 plunger to the rear of pin 18 will eventually the highest coin value. Suitable tension springs on the bridge keep the levers in contact with the set screws, and a pawl 28 on each lever engages with the teeth of wheel 25 and causes same to be turned one, two, three, or four teeth as a lever is rocked by impact from a corresponding plunger.

If a lever be operated from a penny plunger the throw of the ratchet 25 will be equal to one tooth; if from the threepenny plunger, two teeth; with the sixpenny plunger, three teeth, and by the shilling plunger, four teeth.

Attached to the spindle 24 and drum 30 respectively is a coiled flat spring 29 housed in the drum which is wound when a wheel 25 is turned. The sprin thus imparts movement to the drum on w ich is a toothed wheel 31 on which the contact maker 32 rides, which contact maker communicates the signals to the exchange through a buzzer 33 as the drum rotates. A fan governor 34 may be operated through the gearing 35 from the wheel 26 to regulate the speed of the drum. A plate 33 closes the drum 30 and is provided with a recess 34, tapered at one side to accommodate a like shaped boss 35 on a fiat spring 36 mounted on the drum. The plate 33 is attached to the spindle 24 and when the spindle is turned through one of the ratchets the boss is forced outof the recess as indicated in Fig. 8 and forces outward the floating plate 37. This plate is loosely mounted. on the machine casing (Fig. 2) and has at its lower end an inclining projection 38 (Fig. 7) on which rests the end of a lever 39 pivotally mounted at the base of'the bridge 22. The forward end of this lever is on a transverse spindle 40 on which are attached stop plates 41 having notched ends' for engaging pins 42 that are on each plunger.

When a ratchet is operated one, two, three or four teeth as the case may be, the plate 37 is forced outward and the lever 39 that rests on its inclined foot 38 drops slightly. This movement is assisted by the spring 43 and permits the lever to be rocked and to slightly lift the transverse spindle 40 on which are the stop plates 41; these will then engage the pins 42 on the lungers if a plunger is pushed in again be ore a cycle is com plete. The mechanism thus prevents a lunger being operated more than once wit one coin. Immediately the member 35 is ejected from the recess 34 the spring 29 in the drum reacts to bring it back into the recess, into which it will be forced by the spring 36. When this takes place the plate 37 resumes its normal position, the lever 39 is lifted and the stop plate 41 falls away from the pin 42.

In practice, if a. call costing two pence is required, the caller will place two pennies in the proper slot and push in the plunger; this will first lock the other plungers in the 'coina 'es other than Britis Owing to the sizes of the coin slots varyingand each being capable of receiving a di erent coin, the line can be quickly got by permission of the exchange obtained through the signaling means. The appliance will be attached in a convenient position' on a public telephone with the necessary short directions for its use.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In machines of the kind indicated, a series of coin slots and a series of plungers for carrying coins and each associated with a slot, each plunger having a slot normally below and in line with a C0111 slot, a movable recessed plate near a plunger and adapted to be swung aside when the plunger carrying a coin is pressed inward, a pin on the plunger in the recess of the plate, a second pin behind the first on the plunger, means for dischargingla coin after use, and means for returning t e plate to its normal position.

2. In machines of the kind indicated having a series of associated slots and lungers, in combination, a spindle, ratchet w eels and rocking levers thereon, each lever being placed opposite a plunger end, a pawl on each lever for engaging a ratchet, set screws adapted to regulate the distance of each lever from each plunger, and an electric contact maker controlled by said ratchets.

'3. In machines of the kind indicated having a series of associated slots and plungers, in combination, a spindle, ratchet wheels and rocking levers .thereon, each lever being placed opposite a plunger end, a pawl on each lever for engaging a ratchet, set screws adapted to regulate the distance of each lever from each plunger, a drum looselyv mounted on the spindle, a coiled spring within the drum attached to the spindle at one end and to the drum at the other, a toothed wheel upon the drum and an electric contact breaker riding on the toothed wheel.

4. In machinesrof the kind indicated, a ratchetspindle a drum loosely mounted thereon, a coile spring within the drum at.- tached to the spin le at one end to the drum at the other, a recessed lid for the drum held upon the drum spindle, a fiat spring on the drum and a boss on the spring taking into the recessed lid, as and for the purposes set v forth.

.5. In machines of the kind indicated, a

ratchet spindle:i a drum loosely mounted drum at the other, a recessed lid for the drum held upon the drum spindle, a fiat spring on the drum, a boss on the spring taking into the recessed lid a plunger and means for preventing the plunger being used more than once with each coin.

6. In machines of the kind indicated, means for avoiding a plunger'being used more than once, with one coin, which consists of the combination of a ratchet spindle, a drum loosely mounted thereon, a spring withinthe drum, and a recessed lid on the drum and rotating with the spindle, a floating plate having a foot adapted to-be moved from and to the drum, a rocking lever resting on said foot, a transverse spindle attached to the lever, and stop plates on the spindle in combination with a plunger having a in on its side to be engaged by the stop p ates while a signal is being made.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUY CROSIER ADAMS. Witnesses:

W. l). WEs'roN, VICTOR C. HALL. 

